Recipes: Pears are the key ingredient for delicious holiday desserts
We’re all eager to put this pandemic in the rearview mirror. In the meantime, small Christmas dinner celebrations may benefit from a little twist. I’m thinking of substituting desserts that contrast the usual pumpkin–themed pies, bars or logs, and create finales that symbolize comfort and change.
I’ll be baking up pear desserts that deviate from the traditional, sweets that signal better times to come. According to usapears.org, in ancient times people believed that pears represented immortality and prosperity because pear trees have long lives. In many cultures, the pear tree is a symbol of comfort, the pear a symbol of affection.
But pears require patience. In the marketplace they can be as hard as boulders. They feel more like baseballs than fruit. Not a whisper of sublime sweetness. Not a whiff of sensuous aroma.
They’re picked before ripened, then kept in controlled-atmosphere storage. Tree-ripened pears get mushy because they ripen from the inside out. Ripening pears at home isn’t difficult, but plan on buying firm pears three to five days before you plan to eat or cook with them.
The bag-ripening process works like a charm. Place those ever-so-firm pears in a paper bag and loosely fold the top closed. Let them sit at room temperature, checking them every day until the area at the base of the stem slightly yields to gentle pressure. Because pears ripen from the inside out, they usually are ready when there is only a slight give. Then either use or refrigerate them.
Unless you are judging Bartletts, don’t depend on color on other varieties to tell you when pears are ripe. Bartletts turn from green to a golden yellow as they ripen. Most pears remain nearly the same color as they ripen.
Here are three delicious pear desserts. To my way of thinking they are scrumptious forecasts of better days.
Pear Kucken
This beautiful dessert can be served warm or at room temperature, accompanied with sweetened whipped cream. I use ripe Bartlett, Comice or D’Anjou pears. I appreciate the two-fer aspect of the preparation. A portion of the mixture that is used for the crust is separated and augmented with brown sugar, and then used for the crumb topping.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
Butter for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into several pieces
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, divided use
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ripe pears, peeled, cut in half, cored, cut into lengthwise wedges (no wider than 1/4-inch at the widest potion of the wedge)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: sweetened whipped cream
PROCEDURE
1. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with butter. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process 1 1/4 cups flour, butter, cream, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, spices and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 30 seconds). Transfer 1/2 cup of this mixture to a separate bowl and stir the additional 2 tablespoons of brown sugar into it; set aside. This will be the crumb topping.
3. Press remaining mixture into bottom and sides of prepared tart pan. Bake in center of preheated oven for 20 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. Prepare the filling. Using a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the 3/4 cup granulated sugar, reserved 1/4 cup flour, whipping cream, egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla. Process for 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape the sides of the work bowl. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Arrange pear slices in a pinwheel pattern (overlapping slightly) on top of filling. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
5. Bake in 350-degree oven 40-50 minutes or until custard is set. Allow to rest on cooling rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with whipped cream.
Pear-Walnut (or Pear-Pecan) Upside-Down Cake
Bosc pears, those brown-skinned elongated beauties, hold their shape in this delicious cake. I’ve made it with walnuts as well as pecans. Be sure that the pan you use is at least 2 inches deep and it is best if it is light-colored. The recipe is from those perfectionists at America’s Test Kitchen.
A confession: I use salted butter because it is what I have on hand during a pandemic. So, I use a little less salt than is called for in the recipe. Use the salt amounts given in the recipe if using unsalted butter.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS
Butter for greasing pan
Parchment paper cut to match bottom of pan
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 ripe but firm Bosc pears (about 8 ounces each)
Cake
1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted, cooled (toast on baking sheet about 5 minutes at 350 degrees — watch carefully because nuts burn easily)
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
For serving: Sweetened whipped cream, or crème fraiche, or ice cream
PROCEDURE
1. Topping: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat to 300 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cakepan and line bottom with parchment paper. Pour melted butter over bottom of pan and swirl to evenly coat. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in small bowl; sprinkle evenly over melted butter.
2. Pears: Peel, halve and core pears. Set aside 1 pear half and reserve for another use (maybe a nice snack for the baker). Cut remaining 5 pear halves into 4 wedges each. Arrange pears in circular pattern around cake pan with tapered ends pointing inward. Arrange two smallest pear wedges in center. (I’ve noticed that sometimes the pears are so long there is no room in the center, so I just snuggle them closer together.)
3. Cake: Pulse nuts, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in food processor until nuts are finely ground, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer to mixing bowl. Process eggs and sugar in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With processor running, add melted butter and oil in steady stream until incorporated. Add walnut mixture and pulse to combine 4 to 5 pulses. Pour batter evenly over pears (some pear may show through, but cake will cover as it bakes).
4. Bake until center of cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours, rotating pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool for 15 minutes (set a timer because this timing is important). Carefully run paring knife or offset spatula around sides of pan. Invert cake onto wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; discard parchment. Let cake cool for about 2 hours and transfer to serving platter.
Roasted Pears With Vanilla Ice Cream
Yield: 4 half-pear servings
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 ripe pears, such as Bosc, Bartlett, D’Anjou or Comice, peeled, cut in half lengthwise
Vanilla ice cream
Optional garnish: Fresh mint leaves
PROCEDURE
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together juice, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
2. Coat a medium-sized rimmed baking sheet (nonstick preferred) with half of the vegetable oil. Toss pear halves in juice-spice mixture and place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle remaining oil on top. Roast until caramelized on bottom and tender, about 35 to 45 minutes (roasting times will vary depending on ripeness and size of pears).
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature accompanied with ice cream. If desired, garnish each with one or two fresh mint leaves.
Have a cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com